Review – Anker PowerCore 20100

Anker PowerCore 20100 at a glance

We love a beefy power bank here at PBE and the Anker PowerCore 20100 is certainly all that and more. With 2 super fast USB outputs and one of the best size to power ratios in its class, the Anker PowerCore 20100 is an impressive piece of equipment. It even charges the new 12″ MacBook.

Capacity & Charging speed

We have almost only good things to say about the Anker PowerCore 20100 in terms of battery capacity and speed. Both USB ports are able to send 5V 2.4A to your selected devices. It performs well in benchmarking tests and at 20000mAh it’s able to charge multiple devices, at the same time with incredible speed.

Much like the Mi Power Bank, the PowerCore will also charge the new MacBook 12″ which is something we’d love to see more of. It also comes with Anker’s PowerIQ technology and VoltageBoost. People not familiar with either of these can rest assured that they are a positive addition!

PowerIQ detects the brand, firmware and hardware of a device to deliver the most efficient charge possible. VoltageBoost directly affects the current to send stable power through its output. Both great features to be sure, however the lack of support for QualComm Quickcharge leaves us wanting. With so many devices supporting this technology, we’re a little disappointed that the Anker PowerCore 20100 isn’t on board.

Like all power banks of this size, charge times for the unit itself are going to be long. Unless you’re using a 2V charger, expect to wait 20 hours or so for the Anker to juice up.

How many times will the Anker PowerCore 20100 charge my device?

iPhone 5s

8.3 times

iPhone 6s

7.1times

iPhone 7

6.6 times

Samsung Galaxy S6

4.6 times

Samsung Galaxy S7

4.3 times

Samsung Galaxy Note7

3.7 times

Sony Xperia Z

5.5 times

HTC One M7

5.6 times

iPad Mini

2 times

iPad Air 2

1.8 times

iPad Pro 9.7

1.8 times

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7

2.2 times

12″ Mac Book

1.2 times

*Charging rates are a rounded approximation taking into account average battery condition, environmental factors and natural power degradation

Look and feel

We do like the look of the Anker PowerCore 20100 however it’s not going to be winning any beauty competitions in the near future! What is it about power banks when they reach a certain capacity, they just end up looking a bit…clunky?

Anker have opted for a longer, slimmer design for the PowerCore. The edges are rounded in typical Anker style and the unit is finished in a matte texture. This is great to prevent those annoying finger prints and to increase grip. No-one likes a dropped power bank, no one!

There are 4 lights on the flat face of the power bank near the end which helps to determine charge. Both USB outputs and the micro USB input are located on the far edge. Simple, logical and smart.

Durability & Construction

As usual we were impressed with the construction of this portable charger. Ever heard the saying “The bigger you are, the harder you fall?”. Well this is true for power banks too! We’re happy to say that the build quality on the Anker PowerCore 20100 is some of the best engineering we’ve seen from Anker. Sturdy, stable and solid, the PowerCore is well built and the tactile components are well made.

A couple of points however. If you’re planning to charge the following devices with the Anker PowerCore 20100, think again:

It’s handy that Anker are at least up front about their compatibility issues but it might throw a spanner in the works for some. It’s also a power bank that will not charge several devices at the same time as being charged itself. This is a feature some people live by but can damage the internal cells within your power bank.

Portability

Anker shines again with the PowerCore 20100. This is one of the smallest 20000 mAh portable chargers we’ve seen. In cases where they are smaller, they are often cheap knock offs or built cheaply and quickly. Some units even saving space by claiming up to 2 x the actual mAh in the unit.

Final Thoughts

We'd love to put the Anker PowerCore 20100 in our top 10 but unfortunately, it doesn't quite take the cherry. Don't get us wrong, we think it's easily one of the best 20000mAh units available. We just wished it was a little sleeker, a little more compatible and supported QualComm Quickcharge. Still highly recommended - if you're looking for a fast charging, reliable space saver, this is the one for you.

2 Comments

Thank you for the detailed review. I am considering buying a 20,000mah capacity power bank that charges both the iPod Nano and the Macbook. Anker seemed perfect till I read about the lack of compatibility with the iPod. Why is it so? And are there other options?

It is unfortunate that the Anker 20100 claims to have compatibility issues with the iPod range of products. Unfortunately certain power banks hardware and device recognition systems aren’t “tuned in” to certain manufacturers devices. This is quite strange in the case of the Anker as it seems to work fine for the 2015 12 inch Macbook/iPads etc. It could be an current output issue but for specifics, you’d have to contact Anker.

It might even be worth contacting Anker as it’s possible they have fixed the issue and might have updated their stock in the Amazon warehouse and not changed the description.